Too light power supply /UCD180?

Pasi P · 15th November 2006, 09:33 AM

Hi all,

I have 4ch UCD180 amplifier. Powersupply is 180VA/30VAC transformer/2modules + 10mF BHC T-net/rail/2 modules.
I am using now this amp in my Orions woofer (each UCD drives one XLS10 dipole).
Linkwitz recommend 60W amp to each woofer.

My question is do i need to do heavier powersupply? How much power in practice UCD180 can give with this light power supply?

I have plans to use 300VA/30VAC/2modules + 28mf/rail. But because my current powersupply is very good quality, i do not want to do nothing if it does not gain nothing. (In this new ps, i have to use basic quality capacitors for cost reasons.)

novec · 15th November 2006, 10:28 AM

I'd keep your T-nets rather than putting in bigger caps, that would give you a far better allround sound quality. And with a bigger transformer (300 VA is an absolute minimum to my knowledge), the pure size of your caps is less important.

Gorilla · 15th November 2006, 08:11 PM

Rather than making a whole new supply, you could always replace the existing 180VA transformer with the 300VA one?. (Of course ensuring that any other components will handle the additional power. Or there is the possibility of connecting both in parallel?)

novec · 15th November 2006, 09:33 PM

If you get another 180VA trafo, it shouldn't be a problem to parallell the secondary windings on each of them and use one trafo for the negative rail and one for the positive.

Do you have 2 or 4 caps? I think I've seen a UcD supply with 4 caps, and if that's the one you have, you'd be best off running dual supplies. That would require another 180VA trafo and another bridge to go with it, and would probably be both cheaper and better.

Pasi P · 16th November 2006, 07:58 AM

OK, thanks guys.
I will then first try to change transformers to 2x300VA.

Even when my current transformers are so light, these seems to work surprisingly well with Orion woofers. Maybe bass control is not best possible when playing very high volume levels but in normal to loud listening levels i do not hear nothing obvious broblem. So i bit doubt that 300VA/2 modules is absolute minimum..

nilsomat · 16th November 2006, 08:53 AM

Hello,

i just checked with Hypex and asked them about the minimal possible transformer for 3 (!) UcD180 modules, surprisingly they told me it would be well possible to run them all on one 160VA transformer for normal living-room use. I always thought you would need at least three times that power, but probably that is only needed for full power party use??

Regards,
Nils

novec · 16th November 2006, 10:26 AM

Sorry, I meant one 300VA trafo for two modules. The rule of thumb is to have at least one VA per output W. Many think that's just for loud playback, but the fact is that it affects sound quite a bit even at lower levels. From the huge ZAP 700XE thread, people have upgraded from dual 500VA trafos to dual 1kVA trafos (!) and reported cleaner, quicker sound all over. I guess it all depends on what you can afford and have room for.

15th November 2006, 09:33 AM	#1
Pasi P diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Finland	Too light power supply /UCD180? Hi all, I have 4ch UCD180 amplifier. Powersupply is 180VA/30VAC transformer/2modules + 10mF BHC T-net/rail/2 modules. I am using now this amp in my Orions woofer (each UCD drives one XLS10 dipole). Linkwitz recommend 60W amp to each woofer. My question is do i need to do heavier powersupply? How much power in practice UCD180 can give with this light power supply? I have plans to use 300VA/30VAC/2modules + 28mf/rail. But because my current powersupply is very good quality, i do not want to do nothing if it does not gain nothing. (In this new ps, i have to use basic quality capacitors for cost reasons.) __________________ -Pasi

16th November 2006, 07:58 AM	#5
Pasi P diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Finland	OK, thanks guys. I will then first try to change transformers to 2x300VA. Even when my current transformers are so light, these seems to work surprisingly well with Orion woofers. Maybe bass control is not best possible when playing very high volume levels but in normal to loud listening levels i do not hear nothing obvious broblem. So i bit doubt that 300VA/2 modules is absolute minimum.. __________________ -Pasi

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15th November 2006, 10:28 AM	#2
novec diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2005	I'd keep your T-nets rather than putting in bigger caps, that would give you a far better allround sound quality. And with a bigger transformer (300 VA is an absolute minimum to my knowledge), the pure size of your caps is less important.

15th November 2006, 08:11 PM	#3
Gorilla diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Rotherham	Rather than making a whole new supply, you could always replace the existing 180VA transformer with the 300VA one?. (Of course ensuring that any other components will handle the additional power. Or there is the possibility of connecting both in parallel?)

15th November 2006, 09:33 PM	#4
novec diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2005	If you get another 180VA trafo, it shouldn't be a problem to parallell the secondary windings on each of them and use one trafo for the negative rail and one for the positive. Do you have 2 or 4 caps? I think I've seen a UcD supply with 4 caps, and if that's the one you have, you'd be best off running dual supplies. That would require another 180VA trafo and another bridge to go with it, and would probably be both cheaper and better.

16th November 2006, 08:53 AM	#6
nilsomat diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Berlin	Hello, i just checked with Hypex and asked them about the minimal possible transformer for 3 (!) UcD180 modules, surprisingly they told me it would be well possible to run them all on one 160VA transformer for normal living-room use. I always thought you would need at least three times that power, but probably that is only needed for full power party use?? Regards, Nils

16th November 2006, 10:26 AM	#7
novec diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2005	Sorry, I meant one 300VA trafo for two modules. The rule of thumb is to have at least one VA per output W. Many think that's just for loud playback, but the fact is that it affects sound quite a bit even at lower levels. From the huge ZAP 700XE thread, people have upgraded from dual 500VA trafos to dual 1kVA trafos (!) and reported cleaner, quicker sound all over. I guess it all depends on what you can afford and have room for.

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